Traitor
My most-listened tune of 2011. I've gone over the cryptic lyrics several times trying to parse out the narrative; glad I finally have the rest of the album to help illuminate it.

My strongest emotional response came when I learned of Stannis' possible demise. I don't know when it happened, but all of the sudden Stannis became my favorite character.

*Non-reader friends, of course.

@ cheese. How the balls can we get MORE Jaime in season 2? He's barely in it except for his discussions with Cat near the end. Granted, those are my favorite part of the book, but I can't see them stretching out his imprisonment into even half the screen time he got here.

SPOILERS

Jaime
Ok, Coster-Waldau, you're in with Dinklage, Glen, and Maisie Williams in the "absolutely crushing it" group.

I don't even know, SPOILER?

(MORE SPOILERS)

(SPOILER)

Transcendental Blues. But please, despite what you may read here, don't overlook Jerusalem. The decline begins after that, not with.

But can we count Cooley? Output is so low. This is thread is gonna fuel my downloadin' for a few days, at least.

(A Hell of a lot more spoilery)

Prince Joffrey and Theon
(Spoilery)

You kind of have to accept ANY piece of music won't be as good as "This Year" in order to enjoy it.

I don't know
I think I am just going to listen to "Damn these Vampires" and "Estate Sale Sign" for 5 straight hours rather than try to convince non-converts why Darnielle is the best songwriter since Townes Van Zandt. I love him too much to try and argue coherently.

One Character Too Many
And we all know which "character" that is. Wolves of the Calla was a whole heck of a lot of fun, but then, towards the end. . . .well, the series never recovered. This series was one of my all-time favorites until then, and King's— I don't even know, hubris? Myopia? PTSD?—represents probably…

Jon MAY be a Targaryen. GRRM has had a lot of time to come up with a less telegraphed parentage.

Pick up "Dreamsongs", RR's career-spanning retrospective. Long before ASoIaF, he was considered a master of the short-story. Not just great fantasy in there—top-notch sci-fi and horror, too.

*Spoilers*

Caveat's Suck
I want to be so much more excited for this than I am. I would have preferred he just waited until he had finished the book before making this announcement; the possibility of a further delay hangs over the good vibes like a guillotine.